About this Report

In February 2018, the Ontario Government’s Policy Innovation Hub (PIH) asked BII+E to identify leading examples and models of policy innovation. There is growing appetite within the public service, in Canada and abroad, to experiment with innovative approaches to policy development in order to better address the needs of individuals and communities. In 2017, public service leaders across Canada made a commitment to support public sector and policy innovation with a Federal, Provincial and Territorial Declaration on Public Sector Innovation.

This research report provides a sketch of the policy innovation landscape in Canada, with specific reference to the tools, techniques, and approaches occurring at all three levels of government. Through this analysis, we have identified the challenges and opportunities that lie before public sector innovators and point to future areas of research. This work is guided by the question: What are the factors that impact successful policy innovation and development?

The research scope focuses on novel approaches to policy development, rather than an assessment of broader public sector innovation. It should be emphasized that this is not a comprehensive research project, but a starting point to explore insights and opportunities for policy innovation in Canada.

Read this report to help you:

Gather useful insights and public benefit about policy innovation

Discover research that may shape mandates and deal with the inevitable “fuzziness” many new ventures experience, such as government innovation units, labs, and hubs across Canada

Methodology

Literature review: A preliminary literature review was conducted to better understand leading examples of policy innovation, public sector innovation and policy design.

Expert interviews: Given time constraints, the insights contained in this report are limited in scope. The research team acknowledges that there are many more leaders and experts that should be consulted to support this exploration. The following six expert interviews were conducted in order to shed light on Canadian examples of policy innovation:

Related Content

With the doom-and-gloom of climate change, an underperforming global economy and growing disconnect between people and their government, it’s not a surprise that government is looking for alternatives. At the BII+E, we believe that there are inspiring examples of public sector innovation currently happening within and outside of government institutions.

Housed at Ryerson University, the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship prepares Canadians for the opportunities and risks in the shift to an innovation-driven economy. We provide insightful research and pilot ideas that inform thoughtful policy.